Idonije among Order of Manitoba inductees

Israel Idonije accepts a key to the City of Brandon from Mayor Shari Decter Hirst in March 2011. (FILE PHOTO)

Former Brandonite Israel Idonije will be named to the Order of Manitoba.

The football star got his start with the Vincent Massey Vikings before joining the University of Manitoba Bears and making his way to the National Football League. Following nine seasons with the Chicago Bears, Idonije signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions in 2013. He has now rejoined the Bears on a one-year contract.

He’s also known for his off-the-field charity work.

Idonije is one of 14 people who will be inducted into the Order of Manitoba this year.

Lt.-Gov. Philip Lee, the chancellor of the order, said in a statement that this year’s induction ceremony will be notable because the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be there and participating in it.

The inductees were announced yesterday, which was Manitoba Day. The ceremony will be held at the legislature on May 21.

» Brandon Sun

INductees to order of manitoba

• Tom Denton, executive director of Hospitality House Refugee Ministry and the co-founder and first publisher of the Winnipeg Sun.

• Jennifer Jones, a Canadian curling champion who recently made history when she led her team to an undefeated record to win the gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

• Don Duguid, Canadian curling champion and the first Canadian skip to win back-to-back world titles. He was recently inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame.

• Allan Gotlieb, Canada’s ambassador to the United States from 1981 to 1989.

• Lorraine Brandson, the curator of Churchill’s Eskimo Museum and the archivist for the Churchill-Hudson Bay diocese.

• Bob Brennan, the former president and CEO of Manitoba Hydro.

• Sam Fabro, businessman, former president of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, and one of the founding fathers of the Manitoba Marathon. He was also instrumental in bringing the Pan Am Games to Winnipeg in 1967.

• Raymonde Gagne, president of Université de Saint-Boniface.

• Israel Idonije, the first University of Manitoba graduate to play in the National Football League.

• Bob Irving, the "Voice of the Bombers" since 1974 and the sports director for CJOB.

• Hermann Lee, assistant professor in the University of Manitoba’s faculty of dentistry and who does service in the Chinese-Canadian community.

• Roland Penner, the province’s former attorney general and the former dean of law at the University of Manitoba.

• Carole Vivier, CEO of Manitoba Film and Music, the province’s film commissioner, and co-chairwoman of the 2014 Juno Awards.

• Doris Sarah Young, a member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and assistant to the president on aboriginal affairs at the University College of the North.

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Former Brandonite Israel Idonije will be named to the Order of Manitoba.

The football star got his start with the Vincent Massey Vikings before joining the University of Manitoba Bears and making his way to the National Football League. Following nine seasons with the Chicago Bears, Idonije signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions in 2013. He has now rejoined the Bears on a one-year contract.

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Former Brandonite Israel Idonije will be named to the Order of Manitoba.

The football star got his start with the Vincent Massey Vikings before joining the University of Manitoba Bears and making his way to the National Football League. Following nine seasons with the Chicago Bears, Idonije signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions in 2013. He has now rejoined the Bears on a one-year contract.

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